2006 MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden, who currently competes in the World Superbike Championship, has been seriously injured in an road accident while bicycle riding in Rimini, Italy.

According to reports in the Italian media, the 35-year-old American suffered severe chest and head trauma when his bicycle was struck by a car. The Superbike Championship released the following statement on the incident:

"Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) has been involved in a training incident which saw the American be hit by a car when he was out training on his bicycle. The incident occurred along the Rimini coastline this afternoon, where he has been spending time following the Motul Italian round at Imola.

"Following the incident, emergency services were called to the scene and Hayden was transported to the local hospital. Ambulances arrived and Hayden was taken directly to the hospital.

"More updates will come as soon as they are announced."

Hayden, who rose to prominence on the American dirt-track motorcycle racing scene, won the MotoGP title in 2006 for the Repsol Honda team. He won three races in a career from 2003-2015, before switching to Superbike full-time, although he made two starts in MotoGP last year to fill in for injured Honda rider Jack Miller.